The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association recently staged a C License Coaching instructors Course which was held at the Hasely Crawford Stadium for thirteen local coaches.
The three-day course was conducted by FIFA technical development officer Anton Corneal.
The key factors addressed during the course included – Methodology of presenting information; Values and Ethics in coaching football; Organisation, implementation and monitoring of coaching sessions; and Understanding and speaking a common football language.
The coaches in attendance were Rajesh Latch, Hayden Martin, Marlon Charles, Allister Ramdoo, Jason Spence, Anthony Creece, Joanne Daniel, Desiree Sargeant, Howard Spencer, Calvin Toussaint, Caleb De Sousa, Steven Bernard and Russell Latapy.
“This really was an assessors and refreshers course involving instructors from the previous “C’ license course and also possibly new instructors for future courses that the FA will host,” Corneal told TTFA Media.
“We reviewed the work of some of the previous instructors and also reviewed some of the previous courses to get a better idea of ways where we can improve,” Corneal told TTFA Media
“We have coaches who have excelled in the previous C License courses and now we are evaluating and seeing whether they have what it takes to actually go on and present these C license courses.”
Corneal, a former National Senior Team assistant coach as well as head coach of the Under 17 team which qualified for the 2007 FIFA Under 17 World Cup, indicated that this country was still leading the pack in terms of technical development due to the amount of football being played. He did warn though that the smaller Caribbean countries have invested a fair amount in resources for their development programmes and are catching up to the more developed countries such as T&T and Jamaica.
“I think overall we are still ahead because of the amount of football that is being played at all levels here but they are closing the gap. And in the region, I am more responsible for the design of technical programmes and the implementation and monitoring of these programmes. So I guide the technical directors and also help the associations apply for the various FIFA programmes and ensure these programmes are done in the countries that fall within my territory,” Corneal added.
“It is good to see the FA is going in the direction of preparing instructors and coaches because this where the core work of development has to be emphasised on in the overall scheme of work in relation our football development,” Corneal stated.